13.06.2026 08:00
The group deputy chairmanships of Ali Mahir Başarır and Gökhan Günaydın, who were among the 9 MPs referred to the High Disciplinary Board by the CHP with a request for definitive expulsion under precautionary measures, have been officially revoked. Following this development, which was also confirmed on the official website of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, a major strategic battle has begun between the Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Özgür Özel camps over "appointment" and "closed group election" for the vacant seats.
The ongoing leadership and management conflict within the Republican People's Party (CHP) has turned into a legal and political crisis in the parliamentary group. The roles of Ali Mahir Başarır and Gökhan Günaydın as CHP Deputy Group Chairs have officially ended, after they were referred to the disciplinary board with a request for expulsion as a precautionary measure. The information that the two individuals' positions have been terminated was also reflected on the group management page on the official website of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). This critical vacancy in the group management invites the factions within the party to a new chessboard to seize control in Parliament.
AT MOVE FROM KILIÇDAROĞLU: 4 NAMES ON THE TABLE
With the vacancies in the group management, it has been claimed that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's camp is preparing to appoint new names to these positions through an appointment procedure. It is alleged that Kılıçdaroğlu's team could directly notify the Speaker's Office of two names they will determine as deputy group chairs. According to leaked information from the corridors, the names of MPs Sevda Erdan Kılıç, Barış Bektaş, Mustafa Adıgüzel, and İnan Akgün Alp, who do not hold any administrative roles at the headquarters, are strongly considered for the deputy group chair positions.
ÖZGÜR ÖZEL MAY MAKE AN ELECTION MOVE
According to a report in Türkiye newspaper; it is stated that in response to Kılıçdaroğlu and his team's appointment move, Özgür Özel's camp will cite the wall of bylaws and regulations to maintain their weight in Parliament. It is noted that Özgür Özel could urgently call the parliamentary group to a closed meeting and directly hold an election for the Deputy Group Chair to replace Ali Mahir Başarır and Gökhan Günaydın. According to the CHP's internal group regulations, if a vacancy occurs in the Deputy Group Chair for any reason, a democratic election must be held in a closed Group General Assembly meeting.
NO BARRIER REMAINING TO TAKE THE PODIUM ON TUESDAY
According to the internal regulations, the newly elected Deputy Group Chair in the closed group takes the seat to complete the remaining term of the person they replaced. If this election is held, there will be no legal obstacle preventing Özgür Özel, who will continue to maintain control and hold the strings in the parliamentary group, from taking the podium and speaking at the critical group meeting on Tuesday.
NEW DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS ALSO ON THE AGENDA
Meanwhile, according to discussions in the corridors of the headquarters, it is stated that Kılıçdaroğlu's camp could urgently bring new disciplinary referrals against dissident names in the parliamentary group to neutralize Özel's move.